


Diagnosis: Embarrassment

by TheDisneyOutsider



Series: Comfortember 2020 [25]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Nightmares, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is a Mess, Sickfic, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, lying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:33:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27718231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDisneyOutsider/pseuds/TheDisneyOutsider
Summary: “Peter you’ve been feeling terrible for days with no signs that you should be. No fever, but you complain you have chills, your throat doesn’t look red, but you say it hurts. I really think it’s a good idea to get you looked at.”“But- please, just, one more day? I think I AM feeling a bit better,” Peter backtracked, “Maybe it will be gone tomorrow.”Tony stared into those brown puppy dog eyes, and sighed, “One more day. I’m serious, kiddo. Tomorrow you’re getting checked out.”Comfortember, Day 25: Going Back to School
Relationships: Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Comfortember 2020 [25]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1995802
Comments: 13
Kudos: 107
Collections: Comfortember 2020, IronDad





	Diagnosis: Embarrassment

**Author's Note:**

> Day 25!! It's officially one month until Christmas! Are you ready for the holidays? (if you celebrate) Our halls have been decked for quite a while already, but as a Canadian, our Thanksgiving was almost two months ago, so we jump right into Christmas mode November 1st!

Tony sighed, pouring his kid a glass of orange juice and putting it on a tray next to the boy’s breakfast. Peter had been sick for three days now, Tony picking him up from school after he complained to the nurse that his throat was sore, and he had chills.

Tony hadn’t been all that concerned, it was flu season after all, and Peter spent his days with thousands of other snotty-nosed, germ spreading kids. Yet, it was now day three, and the kid didn’t seem to be showing much improvement at all.

“Kiddo?” Tony rapped lightly on the door, carrying the tray over to the poor boy laying in bed, “How are you feeling this morning, huh? Any better?”

Peter coughed, “I don’t know, maybe a little?”

Tony sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, “I think we might have to get a doctor to look at you, buddy. This has been going on a long time, and you don’t seem to be improving.”

“No! No doctor, please Tony. I’m sure I’ll be fine in a few more days!” Peter was wide-eyed and panicked.

“Peter you’ve been feeling terrible for days with no signs that you should be. No fever, but you complain you have chills, your throat doesn’t look red, but you say it hurts. I really think it’s a good idea to get you looked at.”

“But- please, just, one more day? I think I AM feeling a bit better,” Peter backtracked, “Maybe it will be gone tomorrow.”

Tony stared into those brown puppy dog eyes, and sighed, “One more day. I’m serious, kiddo. Tomorrow you’re getting checked out.”

“Okay,” Peter positioned himself more comfortably on the bed and allowed Tony to place the tray in his lap.

“I need to go work in the lab for a few hours. Are you good for now?”

Peter nodded, taking a sip of his juice.

“Alright, let FRIDAY know if you need anything, yeah?” Tony ruffled the kid’s hair before exiting the room.

He spent the morning working in the lab, getting so lost in his work that he had forgotten to check on Peter. It was nearing lunchtime when he went up, figuring the boy should be hungry by now, especially given his advanced metabolism, which didn’t seem to be hindered at all with whatever illness the kid had. At least it wasn’t a stomach flu. As much as Tony loved his kid, other people’s vomit was one thing that made him incredibly squeamish. God, he needed to thank Rhodey one thousand times for how much his best friend looked after his drunk ass in college.

Preparing a meal fit for a family of four, but in reality, was meant for one super spider-kid, Tony walked down the hall to deliver it. He was just letting his mind wander to the thought of calling Pepper with an update after Peter was settled, when he stopped abruptly, listening.

“Okay, Ned, but what about the rest of the morning classes? Did you hear anything else?”

Oh, Peter was on the phone. Probably called Ned during their lunch break to keep caught up with his homework or something.

“Just some girls wondering when you were going to come back. I think they feel bad for you.”

Peter groaned, “Great, pity on top of embarrassment. I can't come back, Ned!”

“Peter, you can’t fake being sick forever, eventually they’ll take you to the doctor, and then what?”

Fake being sick? What?

“Tony already threatened it this morning. I’ll think of something.”

Ned’s sigh crackled on the other end, “I miss you, man. Please just consider coming back. It won’t be so bad.”

“We’ll see. I’ve got to go, Ned. Tony’s going to be coming to check on me soon.”

“Remember, the fake cough is key!”

“Yeah, yeah. By, Ned.”

Tony was frozen. What the hell? So the kid was faking it, but the question was why? He stood still, shocked in the middle of the hall, lunch tray in his hand when Peter stepped out into the hallway, a bounce in his step.

Until he too froze.

“Oh, Tony. I was just going to get a drink, I—”

“Nice chat with Ned?” Tony couldn’t help himself. The thought of pretending he hadn’t heard crossed his mind. Waiting the kid out and hoping he would confess eventually. He couldn’t though, he was too concerned about why Peter was skipping school in the first place to leave it any longer.

“You... did FRIDAY tell you I was talking with Ned?” There was a sliver of hope in his eyes.

“No, actually. I was bringing down a nice lunch that I made for my poor, sick kid when I heard you two chatting,” he raised his eyebrow.

Peter deflated, “Tony, it’s not what you think, I—”

“Let’s talk about this in your room, this tray is getting heavy,” Tony pointed, shooing Peter back through the doorway.

Peter sat heavily on the bed, looking slightly pale. Too bad, that would have totally sold the whole sick thing.

“So, I’ve got a little faker on my hands, huh?”

“Tony, I’m sorry. Please don’t hate me, I really did feel sick when you picked me up! Well, sick to my stomach at least.”

Tony held up a hand, “I’m not angry at you, Pete. But I am concerned. Obviously, something happened to cause you to go to such extremes to avoid school.”

Peter sighed, averting his eyes, “Do we have to talk about this?”

Tony shrugged, “I mean, I suppose I could take you down to the med bay, get you checked out by the doctor to make sure you really are fine, then you could be grounded for lying, and be dropped off at school to finish the second half of the day.”

He glanced at the panicked boy, “Or, we could discuss this and figure out a solution together. If something is bothering you, I’m here to help, buddy.”

Peter furrowed his brow, very obviously struggling to decide the better of two evils, “You might still be mad at me.”

Tony gave another shrug, “If so, we’ll sort that out too. You’re not scared of me, are you?”

“No,” Peter shook his head, “Just hate disappointing you.”

“Everything’s fixable, Peter. Just let me help.”

Peter wiped his sweaty palms on his knees, “It’s just- I don’t want to go to school because I embarrassed myself... majorly.”

Tony gave a nod, and then motioned for him to continue.

Peter pouted, “I fell asleep in class because I had a late night with Spider-Man, please don’t be mad! I swear I’ve been punished enough, because while I slept I had a nightmare, and Ned said I was yelling for Ben, crying, saying it was all my fault. When I woke up the whole class was staring at me and- and Flash had that stupid grin on his face. Tony, I’m the laughingstock of the school!”

“Did you actually see anyone laughing?” Tony questioned, finding it hard to believe that after someone witnessed something like that, their first reaction would be to laugh.

“Well... no, but I went to the nurse right away, and I know Flash will say something. Ned said the whole thing got around the school. Everyone knows.”

Tony took a moment to reflect, “I think you’re blowing this out of proportion, kiddo.”

Peter attempted to interrupt, but Tony raised his hand up, “I understand it was embarrassing and felt invasive, but this is high school, buddy. I’m sure this will blow over as soon as the next party happens, and some senior gets drunk and feels up a freshman. You’ll be yesterday’s news.”

“I can’t go back until that happens,” Peter said stubbornly.

“You know that’s not logical,” Tony squeezed the boy’s knee, “You’ve already missed enough school, and you’re only going to let it build up in your mind until you face that first day and realize it’s not all that bad.”

“And what if it is?” Peter asked skeptically.

“Then you call me and I come to get you, and we try again the next day.”

“Really? You’d let me do that?”

“Absolutely,” Tony promised, “Pete, I’m on your side here. I don’t like to see you hurting, but I also know the hurt won’t go away until you face it. So tomorrow?”

Peter breathed out, “Okay,” he said shakily.

“Should we talk about your dream?” Tony nudged his knee now, looking towards his kid with concern.

“It was just the regular basic nightmare. Nothing I can’t handle, seriously,” Peter assured.

“Okay,” Tony decided not to push, “But you do know it’s not your fault, right?”

Peter nodded, “My brain just likes to repeat that question every once in a while,” he replied honestly.

“I get it, kiddo,” he squeezed the boy’s shoulders.

“At least it wasn’t a Spider-Man dream! Can you imagine if I’d have blurted out my secret to the entire class?”

“Speaking of Spider-Man,” Tony raised his eyebrow, “He’s benched for the week. You need to catch up on your sleep. You’ve seen first hand what lack of sleep does to a person. I know, I know, this is a ‘do as I say, not as I do’ situation.”

“But, Tony! I’ve been laying in bed for three days! I’m all rested up! Please!” Peter pouted.

“Good,” Tony smirked, “I’m proud of you for taking the initiative to get a head start. Spider-Man will be extra well-rested by next week.”

Peter groaned, and Tony squeezed his shoulders tighter, “Love you, kid. I’m glad you’re not sick.”

“Love you too,” Peter mumbled, “Hey! Now that you know I’m okay, can I come down to the lab with you?”

Tony eyed the kid, then broke out into a smile, “I should totally say no, but I’ve missed my lab buddy, so go get dressed.”

“YES! Thanks, Tony!”

“Yeah, yeah, just don’t go spreading this around and ruining my reputation.”

“You say that like it’s not already ruined,” Peter replied cheekily, dodging the swat that followed.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what your favourite line was!!


End file.
